1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an ink-jet recording apparatus for recording on a recording medium by dispensing ink droplets, and a cap for preventing ink from drying by covering an ink discharge surface in the ink-jet recording apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
A known ink-jet recording apparatus, such as the ink-jet recording apparatus described in Japanese Publication No. JP-A-9-240012 and shown in FIG. 6, includes an ink discharge surface which is covered by contacting a cap body with a print head. The cap body has a recess formed therein, and when the air pressure within the recess of the cap body is about the same as the atmospheric pressure, a slit of the cap body is closed, which prevents the ink in the ink discharge surface from drying. When the air pressure in the recess of the cap body increases or decreases when the cap body contacts the print head, the slit is opened and the recess is in communication with the external air, such the air pressure in the recess becomes about equal to the atmospheric pressure. In this manner, menisci of the ink in the nozzles may not be by a variation of the air pressure in the recess.
Nevertheless, in the known ink-jet recording apparatus, to bring the cap into close contact with the ink discharge surface, a substantial amount of force is applied to the cap to press the cap against the ink discharge surface. Moreover, the force acting on the portion where the cap is in contact with the ink discharge surface when the cap is pressed against the ink discharge surface may vary.